President Trump said Friday he is considering a pardon for the late legendary heavy-weight boxer Muhammed Ali.
Mr. Trump made his comment about Ali to reporters before departing for the G-7 summit.
Ali was arrested and convicted of evading the draft during the Vietnam War, citing his religious beliefs. He was stripped of his boxing titles but successfully appealed to the Supreme Court.
“The pardons are a very positive thing for a president,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr. Ali’s attorney Ron Tweel, told CNN the pardon is unnecessary.
“The U.S. Supreme Court overturned the conviction of Muhammad Ali in a unanimous decision in 1971. There is no conviction from which a pardon is needed,” he said.
Ali died at age 74 in 2016 after battling Parkinson’s syndrome for decades.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.